


Fire For You

by fakenoods



Category: Narcos (TV)
Genre: Age Difference, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - College/University, Dirty Talk, Eventual Smut, F/M, Professor Javi, Slow Burn, javier peña - Freeform, narcos au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-28
Updated: 2020-11-28
Packaged: 2021-03-10 00:20:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,160
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27765127
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fakenoods/pseuds/fakenoods
Summary: Javi is a college professor in this one. That's all you need to know.
Relationships: Javier Peña/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 8





	1. Chapter 1

"Cass, it's your last day before grad school starts! You can't seriously be more interested in that book you've read a hundred times than grabbing a drink with me." Sam flirtatiously winked at Cassidy, though her nose was deep in the pages of The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton.

"Sam, you're barking' up the wrong tree and you know that," Cassidy replied.

Sam pouted dramatically. "Come on! Maybe you'll meet a guy," Sam said with a wrinkled nose as if she's smelled something off. "And maybe he can introduce you to a new book."

"Don't shit on my comfort book! You know I always read this before the school year starts."

She sighed and closed her book, weighing her options. She's never been one for drinking or going out to a bar. Especially on a Sunday night, before her first day of graduate school at NYU. Sam was always able to get her way, and tonight wasn't looking to be any different. She wanted to finish this book before she started classes in the morning. "Okay, fine" Cassidy groaned.

"Wait... really? That's all it took?" Convincing Cassidy to do anything remotely social was like pulling teeth.

"Yeah I mean the sooner I agree and get ready the sooner I can get back to reading. But only one drink! Just one." Cassidy said, changing out of her pajama bottoms and slipping into a pair of black jeans, her favorite vintage Fleetwood Mac t-shirt, and throws on an expertly worn pair of boots.

"If you say so" Sam replied in a sing-song voice.

"I'm serious! And you're not taking me to one of your loud dance clubs, just a normal bar for a normal drink and then we come home. I mean it, Sam!" Sam laughed and nodded. Cassidy grabbed her favorite denim jacket as they headed out into the damp streets of New York.

"Fine, fine. I really think you should try to meet someone tonight and bring them home. I'm going over to Ashley's after anyway so the apartment is all yours. Blow off some steam before your big day. You haven't been with anyone since Chris, and we both know he wasn't hittin' it right," Sam scoffed. Cassidy gasped, feeling her face flush.

"Chris was nice..."

They headed to The Slow Sip, which was usually nothing to write home about but tonight it was packed with new students having one last night of fun before classes began. Cassidy groaned as Sam took her hand with a smile and lead her inside. "Come on, Cass! Just have a bit of fun!" Cassidy can hardly make out the words as the low bass rumbled in her chest as she snaked her way through the crowd, gripping Sam's hand as tight as she could until they made their way to a small booth in the corner. Sam at least had the heart to put them away from the crowd and the bulk of the noise.

"Just hang out here for a second, I'll get us drinks," Sam said. Cassidy nodded and rubbed her hands together anxiously. She surveyed the room and slowly pulled the book that she stashed without Sam noticing out of her tote bag. Before she can find her dog-eared page, her vodka cranberry is placed in front of her.

"I can't believe you!" Sam gasped as she sat across the table. "You brought your book to the bar? Honey, you need therapy," she laughed as she snatched the book from Cassidy.

"Be careful, she's delicate!" She pleaded as Sam stuffed the book under her.

"You can have her back once we are done here. I texted Ashley to meet me here so once she's here, I'm gone. And hopefully, you've met some lucky man to read to by then." Sam raised her eyebrow suggestively. Cassidy blushed and scanned the room. Most of the men in the bar hardly looked like men at all, most of them look like they're not even old enough to drink. That is until she saw a man through one of the foggy windows facing the alley-way, taking a painfully slow drag off his cigarette. His dark brown hair slightly damp from the rain that had started back up again, his short-sleeve button-down shirt tucked into a pair of dark jeans, his defined nose scrunched slightly as the wind picked up. He looks as if he were contemplating wasting half a cigarette to return to his seat in the bar. Wherever that may be, Cassidy hoped it would be close to her.

"Who are you staring at?" Sam asked, snapping Cassidy out of her lustful gaze. Sam quickly followed Cassidy's eyes to the man beyond the window. "The dude with the mustache? He's like 40. And he has a mustache."

"Yeah but you know how I feel about noses," Cassidy said breathlessly.

"He does have one of those," Sam said, "I think he sees you looking at him."

He did see her. He held his gaze as he took one last drag and threw his cigarette to the ground and headed back into the bar. Cassidy felt her face getting hot as he entered and returned to his seat in the corner table at the opposite end of the bar, directly in her line of sight but she couldn't dare to keep looking.

"The vibe is really weird now, so I'm going to go get another drink," Sam said as she stands and returned to the bar for another round. Cassidy realized that she hadn't even touched her now watered-down drink. 

Sam returned to her seat with two shots of what appeared to be tequila and looked at her phone briefly. "Ashley's gonna be here any minute so you can have the sacred text back," she said as she extended the book to Cassidy. Cassidy looked the book over, inspecting it for potential damage before carefully placing it back in her tote bag. She finished off the rest of the vodka cranberry, daring not to look in the direction of the man at the opposite end of the bar. Sam pushed the shot glass into Cassidy's hands. "I know you said one drink but it looks like you need this."

Without a word, Cassidy threw the shot back quickly, feeling the burn travel down her throat and through her chest. She tried to stay composed to appear somewhat cool, but her face quickly contorted with disgust. She saw the man at the end of the bar smile and laugh to himself as he looked down at his drink. Sam snorted with laughter.

"You need to get out more," she said as she pulled out her phone again. "Ashley's here, do you want us to walk home with you?"

"I'm gonna stay."

"Are you sure? You really don't have to stay out Cass, I was just teasing you."

"I'm sure."

"Okay, but you call me if you need anything at all Cass. I mean it," Sam said as she gathered her jacket and started to leave.

"Wait wait wait," Cassidy reached out and grabbed Sam's arm and pulled her in close "can you order me one more drink and close the tab I'm too scared," she pleaded, words tumbling from her lips.

Sam threw her head back and laughed, "Yes princess, I will buy you another drink. I'll just have them send it over to you, okay?"

Cassidy nodded and mouthed a thank you before Sam slipped from her grasp and out of her sight. She immediately regretted her decision in staying, considering retreating before her drink is brought to her table. What was she going to do? Talk to strangers? Definitely not. Cassidy wasn't exactly the social butterfly. Her drink hit the table before she could give leaving a second thought. Another vodka cranberry, Sam knows her too well. She took a long sip of her drink while looking around the room again. She could always talk to the mystery man in the opposite corner, the only other person in the bar who appeared to be here without friends.

I can't. Way too intimidating. He's probably waiting for someone anyway. He probably has a partner already. But what if he doesn't? He was looking at me, right? Or am I-

"Can I buy you a drink?" an intrusive voice said, suddenly cutting off her train of thought.

Cassidy brought herself back down to earth and saw one of the baby-faced boys she saw dancing with friends working himself into the booth opposite of her.

"I-I'm sorry?"

"I said, can I buy you a drink? You look lonely," he said louder.

"Oh no, I'm good. I still have-"

"I'm Brent," he cut her off and extended his hand before she could finish. 

"I said no thank you. I already have a drink." She could feel her face getting hot, her palms began to sweat. She nervously rubbed them on the tops of her thighs.

God this is a nightmare. If Sam were here, she would have pushed him out of the booth herself.

"Come on sweetheart, I'm being nice," he said through gritted teeth.

She felt her breath catch in her throat.

Okay, you can either give in to this guy or you can make a run for it and just hope that he doesn't follow you home.

Suddenly, she felt the cushion of the booth sink in as someone scooted in next to her.

"Hey baby, sorry I'm late."

The man at the end of the bar had slipped into the seat beside her and draped his arm casually around her shoulder, offering her a sweet smile, his eyes crinkle slightly as he does. The anxious knot in her stomach subsiding from the welcome touch of the handsome stranger she had been daydreaming about since she laid eyes on him. A familiar smell of cigarettes and whiskey burned through her. Not the typical scent she likes on a man but he wore it well.

"Oh sorry man, I didn't know," Brent slurred as he rose out of the booth and returned to dance with his friends, glancing back at the man's empty booth and his seat now.

Cassidy hardly noticed him leave as the man's arm is still lazily draped around her shoulder, his thumb making light, soothing circles on her arm.

"I'm sorry," he said, almost out of the corner of his mouth, as if he didn't want to alert the baby-faced drunk to his elaborate plan. "I just saw him talking to you and it looked like you were panicking."

"No, yeah I was, thank you."

"I'm Javier. I would shake your hand but," he chuckled slightly, and looks down at the table, taking his eyes off Brent for the first time since he sat down.

"Cassidy."

He moved his arm across her shoulder, running his hand across the exposed skin above the neckline of her shirt. She wondered what those rough hands would feel like trailing over the rest of her. He placed his arm on the back of the booth behind her, her hot skin where he once was cooling from the absence of his touch.

"Well Cassidy, since I was late. I think I owe you a dance."

"Oh no that's absolutely not necessary."

"I'm not gonna force you but, I will tell you that I'm a very good dancer," he smiled, eyes crinkling again, making her weak.

Dammit. He's just as charming as I thought he would be.

"Just one song," she said.

Her fear of public embarrassment melted away as he confidently lead her to the patron assigned dance floor, his eyes locked to hers as the pair began to move to the beat, the low bass rumbling through their chests. He slipped one of his hands onto her lower back as he towered over her, sweat beginning to collect on their bodies the longer they stayed in the heat of the crowd. Cassidy couldn't help but lay her hand on his exposed shining chest, so hot it felt as if he could burst into flames at any second. It felt as if were just the two of them in the dingy college bar as the music naturally carried their bodies closer together, a deep pressure building in Cassidy's stomach as Javier's thigh slipped between her legs, pulling her in closer, his ragged breath ringing in her ears. 

As the song came to an end Cassidy reluctantly took a step back, Javier still looming over her, his intense eyes going soft with confusion.

"I meant it when I said one song," she said, wiping her hair back as it tried to cling to her damp forehead. "I like to keep my promises."

Javier smiled again and nods, his slick chest rising and falling quickly. "Let me at least give you a ride home, I'd feel better if I saw you got home safely."

Damn those crinkles.

Javier lead her outside and lit up a cigarette as soon as he's passed through the door. He doesn't ask, but she doesn't mind. She loved the way he looked when he smoked. They walked down the alley where she first saw him, to a parking lot behind the bar.

"This is me," he said, approaching a Honda Cafe Racer motorcycle.

"Of course this is you, why wouldn't it be," Cassidy said laughing to herself.

He smiled and slipped a black helmet over her head, tightening the strap under her chin. "Safety first," he smiled, cigarette hanging loosely from his lips. Javier sat on the bike and started it up, patting the leather seat behind him, welcoming her to have a seat. She sat behind him and awkwardly placed her hands on his shoulder, which he quickly moved around his waist, pulling her flush against his back.

++

Should I invite him in? Is it too late? He might have stuff to do in the morning, he probably doesn't want to be out any later.

"Do you want me to walk you up to your apartment?" he asked, intruding her thoughts as she entered her code to get into the building, his back facing her to give her some peace of mind.

Cassidy nodded, he offers a smile in return as the door buzzes and she leads him up the stairs to her door. "This is me," she said breathlessly after climbing six flights of stairs. "Do you want to come inside? I can make you a cup of tea to warm up before you leave," she offered. His eyebrows perked at the gesture.

"Yeah, that sounds great actually," he smiled as she dug through her tote bag for her keys, eventually finding them and pushing the key into the door. He entered her dark apartment behind her, following her lead as she wordlessly tossed her jacket and bag onto a small chair by the door. Cassidy shuffled her way to the small kitchen and flipped the light on over the stove and got to work on the tea she promised. She could feel his eyes on her as she pulled out two coffee mugs, dropping a chamomile tea bag into each cup and topping them off with the boiling water when suddenly she felt his hands on her waist.

"I know you really didn't invite me up here for tea," he says into her ear with a low voice. Her breath hitched in her throat as she carefully set down the kettle as he slowly brought his hands to the front of her, grazing the skin above the waistline of her pants with his fingertips as her shirt flowed freely beneath his palms. "I saw the way you were looking at me through the window." One hand remained at her waist while the other worked it's way up to her throat, turning her around quickly to face him. He studied her intently, almost as if he was asking for some verbal cue to continue. Cassidy swallowed and took a shallow breath, finally mustering the courage to speak.

"I mean I did want to invite you up for tea, you looked cold. But, this is also a good way to warm up," she said.

Javier laughed, his dark eyes becoming soft again. With his hand loosely gripping her throat, he pressed a soft kiss against her lips, quickly growing in desperation as she slipped her hands over his shoulders, raking her hands through his hair, gripping it tightly. Javier's grip on her throat tightened slightly, a low moan escaping her mouth as he does. He used the opportunity to slip his tongue between her lips, letting out an almost desperate groan in response. Javier pressed his hips against hers, pinning Cassidy against the kitchen counter behind her. He grinds his hips against hers once before dragging his hands down her body and back to her waist working her belt free. Javier quickly snaked his hands down to the back of her thighs just below her ass, lifting her onto the counter, bringing his hands up to cup her face-

"GO HOME ASHLEY!" Sam's voice echoed throughout the apartment as she quickly opened the door and slammed it behind her and flipping on the light switch above the chair of forgotten jackets. "Oh fuck, Cass! I'm so sorry!" Sam yelled as she throws her hands over her eyes. Javier swiftly stepped away from Cassidy, wiping his swollen lips while Cassidy buried her face in her hands, still perched on the counter."Wait, is that-" Sam parted her fingers for a moment to take a peak. "Oh my god it is mustache guy, good for you," she said as she covered her eyes again.

"Sam please go away," Cassidy pleaded, her face still buried in her hands. Sam whispered another apology before sliding down the hallway to her bedroom, eyes still covered.

"I'm so sorry, she told me she wouldn't be home," Cassidy said, dragging her hands across her face and up through her light brown hair.

"It's quite alright," Javier offered another crinkly eyed smile. "I uh-I should get going anyway." Cassidy nodded as she slipped off the counter and fastened her belt, and lead him to the door.

"Thank you again for helping me tonight."

"Oh it's not a problem," he replied with a soft smile though his eyes are still dark. Javier leans in, leaving one last burning kiss on the corner of her mouth. He silently opened the door and slipped out into the night as Cassidy closed the door behind him, leaning her back against the door as it closed.

Goddammit, Sam.


	2. Chapter 2

The moment Cassidy's head hit the pillow, her alarm is blaring in her ears. She groaned and reached to her nightstand to hush the unwanted noise. Her first day of grad school was here and she felt, for the first time in a long time, totally unprepared. Her night with the handsome stranger she brought home from the bar had completely thrown a wrench into what she was hoping to be an easy first day of classes. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and plopped out of bed, making her way to the bathroom with a fresh pair of clothes for the day, hearing an exchange of giggles and kisses coming from Sam's room.

They made up quickly. A new record.

Cassidy began her daily morning routine with a shower, which was quickly interrupted by the door creaking open as Sam poked her way into the bathroom. "Hey wild child!" Sam said, almost in a whisper. "Dude I am so sorry about last night. Ashley and I had this thing, I didn't expect you to bring someone home."

"It's not a big deal."

"It is a big deal!" Sam plopped down on the toilet as a makeshift chair. "You've been so hung up on Chris for whatever reason, I'm glad to see you finally putting yourself out there."

"What do you mean for 'whatever reason'? We were together for 3 years, of course I'm gonna be hung up on him. I really cared about Chris. I still do." Cassidy said, rinsing the conditioner from her hair and turning the water off, sticking her arm out from behind the shower curtain, reaching for a towel.

"Yeah, but he was so fucking boring, dude. You need someone fun and exciting, like mustache guy, what's his deal by the way?"

"I don't really know anything about him. He drives a motorcycle, his name is Javier and I'll probably never see him again. I didn't get his number."

"For someone with a GPA like yours, how could you be so fucking dumb? You didn't get his number? He would have been such a perfect plaything for you."

Cassidy stepped out from the shower, a towel wrapped around her torso. "You know that's not my style, Sam. I would end up getting my feelings hurt. Now get out please, I need to get ready." Sam gave Cassidy a quick kiss on the cheek before retreating back to her room.

++

Cassidy made her way to her first class of the day, Women in Literature, an easy elective class first thing in the morning was just what she needed. She was trying to forget the night she had with Javier by drowning her thoughts with her favorite podcast and a hot, black coffee to wake her up. But she couldn't seem to shake him. The way he held her when they danced with his thigh between her legs, the feel of his hands against her neck, the desperation on his lips when they kissed. It was unlike anything she had experienced in all her years of dating Chris.

Cassidy entered the small lecture hall already full of students even though the class didn't start for another 5 minutes. Cassidy took a seat towards the back of the class, hoping to avoid any surprise questions from the professor on her first day. The class was about to begin and yet, the professor was nowhere to be seen. Usually, the professors were always early to set up and get ready before the students arrived, especially on the first day of the semester. Her classmates were making light conversation with each other, while Cassidy put her headphones away and pulled her laptop out from her backpack to prepare for any potential note-taking.

As she opened up her laptop, the door to the classroom swung open.

"Hi everybody, sorry I'm late," the professor apologized as he removed his brown leather jacket, sliding his black canvas backpack from his shoulders and carefully placed it on the desk at the front of the room, and turned his attention to the class of eager students.

Cassidy froze as she looked up from her computer screen and locked eyes with the professor.

No. Fucking. Way.

Javier stood at the front of the classroom and stared back at Cassidy for a moment, trying not to return her gaze for too long in front of the rest of the class. Cassidy couldn't look away. The man she had just been daydreaming about on her way to class was in front of her again, and he was her fucking professor. The class she had been looking forward to the most this year was taught by the handsome stranger she almost had sex with in her kitchen. It was obvious that Javier was trying not to make eye contact with her as he began a brief introduction to the room. He wiped his mouth and cleared his throat as he turned around to write his name on the blackboard behind him.

"I'm Javier Peña, I was born in Texas, lived there for most of my life until I moved up to New York after high school to study English like the rest of you." He kept the description of his personal life brief as he began to dig into the course, explaining the required readings and female authors they would be discussing for the semester. The rest of the class seemed to race by as Cassidy couldn't focus, replaying the feeling of his hands all over her in her mind.

Javier announced the end of the class and asked everyone to bring a copy of Pride and Prejudice by the time they met for class again on Wednesday. Cassidy tried to hurry out of the room to escape without him noticing.

"Miss Williams, can I speak with you please?" Javier called to her as she was halfway out the door. She paused briefly, contemplating if she should make a run for it but ultimately decided not to run away from her professor like a freak on her first day. 

"Yes, professor?" she tried to play off as if she didn't recognize him, but Cassidy had never been good at lying. Javier smiled and looked around the room to see if there were any stragglers.

"I know you remember me, you don't have to pretend," he said with a smirk.

Cassidy looked at her feet, unable to maintain eye contact for too long. He looked even better today, all dressed up and ready for school, wearing a light blue dress shirt rolled up to his forearms with a blue and red speckled tie, complete with a pair of clear square glasses. His eyes look tired but he seemed alert now that Cassidy is standing in front of him. 

"Look I've never done anything like this before," he said, suddenly.

"Done anything like what before?"

"Had a uh... a relationship with one of my students." Javier nervously rubbed the back of his neck.

"A relationship? Who said anything about a relationship?" Cassidy whispered.

Javier laughed, "I mean this isn't a regular thing. I didn't know you were one of my students, if I did I probably wouldn't have gone home with you. I just wanted to make that clear."

The word probably stuck out in her mind.

"Oh. Right. Well, I had no idea you were my teacher, obviously. I'm going to go see my advisor so I can drop this class so this will really be the last time we see each other." Cassidy turned quickly to make her escape, but Javier quickly grabbed her by the arm.

"Whoa whoa whoa, you don't have to do that. I'd love to have you in my class. I could tell by your apartment that you're quite an avid reader. I mean you brought a book to a bar for god's sake," he laughed as he released Cassidy's arm and grabbed his bag, slinging it over his shoulder. "Follow me to my office, if you have a second. I have something I want to show you." 

It seemed like all eyes were on the two of them as they made their way to Javier's office, but in reality, it was all in Cassidy's head. He slipped a key in the door and flipped on the lights illuminating the small room, filled to the brim with books. The back wall was made entirely of a walnut bookshelf, full of various novels. He had so many books, they were carefully stacked on the floor around his desk. Cassidy eyed the collection from the doorway before Javier asked her to step inside as he shut the door behind them.

"Wow this is... beautiful," Cassidy said, breathlessly as she eyed Javier's personal library. He had just about everything you would want in a personal collection. First edition classics, signed copies on display, old and tattered leather-bound books clinging to life. She wished she could crack the spine of every book and smell the age in their pages.

"The university wasn't super happy when they found out I had turned my office into my own library but I tend to get my way," he said as he took a seat at his desk, biting his finger as he watched Cassidy gush over his books. "Feel free to borrow anything, as long as it's not falling apart."

Cassidy nodded, mouth agape as she glazed over his collection, trailing a soft finger along some of their spines. She pulled a weathered copy of Persuasion off of the shelves and turned to Javier, holding it carefully in her small hands. "Are you sure?"

"Absolutely. Great choice, arguably Jane Austen's best work," Javier smiled, still watching Cassidy intently.

"Thank you, Mr. Peña."

"Call me Javier, please," he said. Cassidy nodded and put the book in her bag along with the rest of her supplies.

"Well, Javier I have another class to get to. Thank you for the book, I'll return it as soon as I'm done," she said as she reached for the doorknob.

Javier stood from his desk and placed his hand on the doorknob before she could reach it, positioning himself in front of her with both hands behind his back holding onto the doorknob, his eyes growing dark as they did the previous night. The familiar heat in Cassidy's stomach grew as she locked her eyes with his.

"I don't know what it is but I haven't been able to get you out of my head," Javier said, his eyes dropping to the floor for a moment as he rubbed the back of his neck. He let out a heavy sigh. "What are you doing tonight?"

Cassidy cleared her throat before speaking, "I have a couple more classes and then I have work after."

"Well if you're not doing anything after that..." the sentence lingered on his lips as if he was too nervous to finish his thought.

"What do you want to take me out on a date or something?" 

Javier chuckled. "That's not really what I was thinking," he said as he took a step forward, looming over her, "I'm not really looking for anything serious." 

Cassidy could feel the warmth rising on her neck which would soon become embarrassingly red. "I'm not that type of girl, Javier."

Javier cocked his head to the side and smiled as he brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. He could tell she was lying through her teeth. "Well, you don't have to decide right now. Just think about it and let me know," he said, the familiar smell of cigarette smoke entering her nose, accompanied by an intoxicating cologne rather than whiskey.

She couldn't fathom that this was happening to her. Quiet, shy Cassidy was suddenly hot for teacher, and alone with him in his office, practically begging for her to fuck him. She didn't know anything about him, except for what he had told the rest of the class this morning. But they didn't know what it felt like to be kissed by him, to be pressed up against their kitchen counter by him. Cassidy had been with Chris for almost her entire college life so far, she never got to experience intimacy with anyone else. Despite everything in her telling her how wrong this was, she couldn't help but entertain the idea.

"I'll think about it," Cassidy said softly. A smirk spread across Javier's face as he leaned in to place a soft kiss at the corner of her mouth.

"Good," he whispered. He took a step back and opened the door for her, "I'll see you Wednesday, Miss. Williams."


	3. Chapter 3

The rest of the day practically flew by as Cassidy was stuck inside her daydreams. Her conversation with Javier was the only thing on her mind as her other teachers breezed through the first-day introductions and went over their syllabus. Luckily for Cassidy, she made Monday her shortest day and was done by noon, giving her the rest of the afternoon to think more about the offer from Javier. She headed to her apartment to grab some lunch before heading off to her shift at the book shop, her only other safe space beside her room.

Sam was still home when Cassidy returned, making herself a pack of ramen, dancing while listening to music, still in her pajamas.

"Hey, kiddo! How was your first day of school?" Sam beamed as she turned down the music. If there was anyone in the world that could ease her mind, it was Sam. Always supportive, always smiling, always ready to throw hands, Sam. Cassidy set her belongings down in the chair by the door and walked to the kitchen, giving Sam a gentle hug from behind.

"Class was... interesting," Cassidy said as she rummaged through the fridge, scrounging up ingredients to throw together a quick veggie sandwich. Sam hopped up onto the counter by the fridge with her warm bowl of ramen in hand.

"Oh, yeah? Why what happened?"

Cassidy bit her cheek, debating if she should bring up the fact that the man she was kissing last night right where Sam was sitting turned out to be her professor. Cassidy hadn't even come close to any sort of decision in the 20-minute walk from campus to her apartment, but if she were to tell anyone, it would be Sam. She went to work on her lunch, her back turned to Sam.

"So... you remember that guy from last night?"

"We literally talked about it this morning, of course, I remember. Hot mustache guy. He was really goin' for it when I came in last night, by the way. I will never forgive myself for robbing you of that experience."

Cassidy could feel the heat rising in her neck, "Well, he's my Women in Literature professor." Cassidy shut her eyes, anticipating Sam's response. There was a long pause before Cassidy stopped working on her lunch and turned around to see Sam, mouth agape, fork lingering in front of her mouth, noodles slowly sliding off her fork and back into her bowl.

"You're joking, right?" Sam said with a devious smile as she put her bowl on the counter, pressing her fingertips to her temples.

"He was my first class of the day. Imagine seeing that at 8 AM."

"Did he remember you?"

"Yeah he did, he even pulled me aside after class was over to speak with me." Cassidy could feel the heat rising from her neck to her face.

"Oh god this is getting hotter and hotter by the second, please go on."

Cassidy took a deep breath and sighed. "He pretty much took me back to his office and asked me if I was interested in a casual hook up kind of thing." Cassidy put her hands to her cheeks, now burning with embarrassment, as Sam shrieked and jumped down from the counter.

"Ohmygod what did you say?"

"I told him I'd think about it."

"You'd think about it? What's there to think about? You get to bang mustache guy, no strings attached!"

"There's a huge string attached, he's my professor! He could lose his job and I could get kicked out of school!"

"Yeah, but that's kind of hot isn't it?" Sam wiggled her eyebrows at Cassidy, picking her bowl back up and slurping down a fork full of noodles. "I think you should do it, Cass. Do you know how many girls would kill to fuck their English teacher? I mean he teaches Women's Lit for Christ's sake, he's gotta be fuckin'great in bed, right?"

Cassidy buried her face into her hands and groaned. "You're not helping, Sam!"

"Listen, like I said last night, you need to have some fun and loosen up. I think this could be an interesting way to do it. Plus, I really wanna live vicariously through you through all of this, you're literally about to deny one of my sexual fantasies right now."

"I dunno, Sam. I've just never been the casual hookup type of person. I feel like I still have feelings for Chris too, I don't want it to get confusing for me right now. I broke up with Chris so I could focus on school, I don't know if having two different guys on my mind would be very helpful," Cassidy said as she turned back to work on her sandwich. She cut into a perfectly ripe avocado, placing the thin slices onto the sourdough bread she's set aside. Next, she adds thick slices of tomatoes, topping it off arugula mixed with lemon juice, olive oil, and crushed red pepper flakes before placing the second slice of bread on top and cutting it diagonally. She turns back to Sam as she takes a bite.

"Or, mustache guy could be the perfect distraction from everything. He could get your mind off Chris and give you a little stress relief from school, it's not like he's asking you to be his girlfriend, you don't have to do all that relationship stuff. Just hump and dump."

"Jesus Christ, Sam," Cassidy says as she took another bite of her sandwich and glanced at the clock on the oven behind Sam. "Oh, shit I'm gonna be late to work, I gotta go."

"Okay, but we're gonna talk about this later!"

"No, we're not," Cassidy said as she hands the sandwich over to Sam for her to finish, racing to the door, grabbing her bag, and slipping back into her shoes.

\+ +

After sprinting to the subway station and barely catching her train, Cassidy made it to work on time, punching in just a few minutes before the 10-minute grace period was up. She put her belongings away and got to work, checking in the new shipment of books before beginning to stock them to the shelves, taking mental notes about which books may end up in her own bag by the end of the day.

It was a slow day at the shop, Monday afternoons usually were. Between aiding the occasional customer and cleaning, there isn't much to do but read behind the counter until the next shopper arrived, inquiring about what their daughter who loves romance may like next, or when the next great Stephen King book may be available for pre-order. The shop is primarily a used bookstore, but they did carry a small collection of the newest best sellers. "Should help the business stay afloat," Cassidy's father said when they began to carry new publications for the first time since he opened the shop. Cassidy tried to work as many shifts as she could during the school year to help her family out. Her father's bookstore was one of her safe havens, another place full of books and people who love them just as much as she did.

After she finished stocking the shelves and watering the shop plants, Cassidy took a seat behind the counter to read the book she borrowed from Javier's office to pass the final hour before the shop closed for the evening.

She breezed through a few chapters before the bell chimed at the front door, alerting her to her first customer in a couple of hours.

"Let me know if I can help you find anything," she said without looking up from her reading.

Cassidy heard a breathy laugh ahead of her. She pulled her eyes away from her book to see Javier standing at the opposite side of the counter, hip cocked with his hand resting on it.

"You've got to be kidding me," she said as she folded the book closed and looked around the shop just to make sure no one else was with them.

"What are you doing here?" Javier asked.

"I work here, what are you doing here?" she asked, a bit harsher than she intended.

"I was just in the area meeting a friend. I've never noticed this store before so I thought I would stop in and look around," he said, "I promise, I'm not following you." Javier seemed much more vulnerable than he had in their previous encounters. He was out of his element this time. He nervously looked around the store, taking in all of the old books, just as Cassidy did in his office earlier in the day. He took a few steps forward towards the counter Cassidy was sitting behind and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Have you given any more thought to my offer?" he asked.

She had gone over the consequences in her mind over and again, wondering if it was worth the risk of losing her entire education over a man she didn't even know. There was something so alluring and mysterious about Javier that she almost couldn't help it. She wanted to reach over the counter and pull him in right then and there and see if he really was worth the trouble. Cassidy couldn't be so bold. She had to have a plan. She had to be prepared.

"I have a counteroffer," she said.

"Oh?" Javier smiled and placed his hands on the counter and leaned forward. "What's your offer, Miss Williams?"

"I'm not the type of person who can jump into things. I need to know more," she said.

"Know more? About what?"

"About you," she said "I can't even think about starting something like this if I don't know anything about you."

"You sure seemed okay with it the other night," he said. A cocky grin spread across his face.

Cassidy chuckled and looked at her hands, picking at the skin around her nails.

"My offer is I want to get to know you first. Just one night."

"Like a date? I told you I'm not looking-"

"Don't think of it as a date," she said "Think of it as... an interview."

Javier laughed and bowed his head and stood up, running a thoughtful hand across his mouth.

"Well let me take you out then," he said

"Okay great." Cassidy pulled out her phone to set a reminder. "When are you free?" she asked.

"Right now," he said with a devious smile "let's go get dinner."

Cassidy glanced at the clock, flustered. There was still about half an hour until they closed. Her father probably wouldn't even notice if she closed early, Javier was the first person she had seen in the store for hours.

"Give me 10 minutes. You can wait in the office in the back if you want," she gestured towards the back of the store to a small windowless corner room with the only computer and a few filing cabinets. Javier nodded and headed back.

Cassidy quickly turned the lights off and flipped the open sign to closed and began the rest of the closing procedures, making sure to make things look extra tidy to avoid any suspicion from her co-workers.

After triple checking the store she headed to the office to grab Javier who made himself at home, reclined in her father's ancient office chair, feet perched on the desk, enthralled in whatever he was reading. She leaned against the door frame and watched him momentarily before making herself known.

"I'm all done," she said. Smiling to herself as his head snapped up from his book, quickly pulling his feet off the desk and placing them on the floor. He placed his book in his bag and waited for her to lead the way out of the employee entrance in the back of the store.

"Do you have any place in mind? Preferably a place... not by campus," Javier said as he glanced down at his feet and back at Cassidy.

"Whatever is fine. I am a vegetarian if that makes any difference," she said, fully expecting ridicule. Javier simply smiled and nodded as they continued down the street

The walk was awkwardly quiet as Cassidy tried to go over the questions she wanted to ask Javier. Javier picked a small diner about 4 blocks from the shop, which Cassidy had no idea it existed. She was still amazed how much she didn't know about the city after living within its walls for the last 8 years. The two quickly placed their orders not long after they were seated. Just coffee and a sandwich for Javier and a small stack of pancakes for Cassidy. She was so nervous, she didn't even see the point in ordering food. It would probably just go to waste.

"So, Miss Williams," Javier started as he took a sip of his black coffee, "I too, have an offer. For every question I answer, you also have to answer one of mine." He smiled, showing off those crinkly eyes Cassidy loved.

"That's not really how most interviews work but sure," she said, fiddling with the tab from her tea.

"How old are you?" she asked, immediately regretting the question

"Oof starting off strong," he laughed. He glanced at the warm mug between his hands. "I'm 38."

Cassidy nodded. 

Okay not too bad. I can work with that.

"I'm 26," she blurted out.

"I didn't ask," Javier laughed "But I'll let it slide. Go on," he urged as he took another sip of coffee.

"Why English? I guess specifically why are you teaching women's lit?"

"I just find literature written by women much more intriguing. They have a lot more to say about the way we live life, in my opinion. Their struggles are far different from mine and I think it's important to soak up as much of that as I can."

Cassidy raised her eyebrows and took a sip of her tea.

There was a long pause before Javier spoke again.

"What do you like most about reading?" he asked.

"I guess I like feeling like I'm someone else for a moment."

"What do you mean?" Javier asked, his brow furrowed.

"Nope, no follow-ups."

Javier laughed and dipped his head again.

They exchanged a few more questions, Cassidy asking more about where Javier was from and his life in New York up until now. Buying herself time to build up the courage to the real question she had been dying to ask.

"Why do you want to do this? And, why do you want to do it with me?" she asked

Javier smiled and paused, seemingly searching for the right words.

"I just find you interesting," he said, continuing to search for an answer to the first half of the question and shook his head. "I'd rather have casual sex with someone I know and enjoy to be around than a different person every night."

Every night?

"You could lose your job. And I could get kicked out of school."

"I know. But that's kind of fun, isn't it?" he smirked.

God, he sounds just like Sam.

"Look," Javier began, setting his coffee down and folding his hands on the table in front of him. "I completely understand the hesitation and I don't want to pressure you. I just thought we could have had fun the other night and I never thought I would see you again. When I saw you this morning, I just had to give it another shot. I don't want to do this unless you are one hundred percent in."

Cassidy took her first and only bite of her pancakes, giving her an excuse to remain silent while she tried to calculate her next move. After finally swallowing her well chewed food she sighed and found the courage to speak again.

"Okay,"

"Okay? Okay what?" Javier asked, furrowing his brow.

"I want to do it," she said, trying to fake an air of confidence she definitely didn't have at the moment.

Javier smiled and took another long sip of his coffee and leaned back in his seat, still smirking at her agreeance.

"Don't smirk just yet. I have two rules."

Javier laughed and leaned forward again, pulling a cigarette from his chest pocket and tucking it behind his ear. "Okay, let's hear it."

"First, none of this can happen anywhere near campus. We both can't risk that."

"Totally fair," Javier agreed

"Second, we need to take this slow."

Javier's smirk turned slightly sour at this rule. "We do? We definitely weren't taking things slow last night."

"I was feeling bold, okay? I've never done anything like that before. I'm not very... experienced."

Javier's eyes widened. "Wait, you're a virgin?" he whispered.

"Jesus Christ, no!" Cassidy put her face in her hands to hide the growing redness in her face. "I'm just not very experienced, I've only been with my ex-boyfriend."

The waitress unintentionally interrupted by placing the check at their table and wishing them a good night. Javier motioned for the door while he stood and pulled cash from his wallet, not giving Cassidy the option of paying for her half as he dropped the money on the table and headed for the door.

"I have one rule," Javier said, lighting a cigarette as the two made their way back towards the bookstore. Javier had parked nearby and offered her a ride home. She couldn't pass up another opportunity to ride with him. Cassidy watched as he took a long drag before speaking again. Such a bad habit but he made it look so good.

"Don't catch feelings," Javier said with a devious smile playing at his lips.

Cassidy scoffed and shook her head.

"I don't think that will be a problem," she said.

"If you say so."


End file.
